Rail-joint.



G. M. ELLIS.

RAIL Jonw.

APPLIOATION FILED AUG. 12,1908.

Patented Ju1 27, 1909.

' 2BHEETB-BHBE'I 1.

G. M. ELLIS.

RAIL JOINT.

, APPLIOATION IiLED AUG, 12,1908. 928,952, Patented July 27, 1909.

2 BHEETB-BHEBT 2,

Witness UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE. I

GEORGE M. ELLIS, OF OMAHA, NEBRASKA, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-TENTH TO JOSEPH B.BROWN AND NINE-FORTIETHS TO ULYSSES R. CHERRY, OF OMAHA, NEBRASKA.

RAIL-JOINT.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed August 12, 1908.

Patented July 27, 1909.

Serial No. 448,206.

the following is aspecification, reference being had to the accompanyingdrawings.

This invention relates to improvements in rail joints and it consists ofthe novel fea tures of construction and the combination and arrangementof parts hereinafter fully described and claimed.

The object of the invention is to provide a rail joint which willdispense with the use of nuts and bolts and in which the meeting ends ofthe rails will be effectively secured in perfoot alinement.

The above and other objects of the invention. are attained in itspreferred embodiment illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in whichFigure 1 is a perspective view of the improved rail joint; Fig. 2 is avertical transverse section on the plane of one of the keys and showingone of the latter before it is bent or locked; Figs. 3 and 4 areperspective views of the meeting ends of the two rails; and Fig. 5 is adetail perspective of one of the keys.

In the drawings 1 and 2 denote the meeting ends of two ordinary trackrails which are recessed to interlock and are united by two keys 3 and ajoint or chair plate 4. Each of the track rails has half of its web anda portion of its base flange and also a portion of its head removed orcut away on one side, as shown at 5 so that the remaining portion ofsaid end of the rail will fit into the cut away portion of the otherrail when the two are placed together in overlapping relation, as shownin Fig. 1. A portion of the head or ball of each rail at the end of thelatter is undisturbed to provide a locking projection 6 adapted to fitinto a recess 7 formed in the other rail by cutting away a portion ofits head, as will be readily understood upon reference to Figs. 3 and 4.The locking projection 6 extends laterally and when the two rails are inalinement will effectively prevent them from moving longitudinally withre spect to each other.

' At the extremity of each rail is formed in the head of the same avertically extending recess 8 and similar recesses 9 are formed at theinner ends of the cut away portions 5. The recesses 8, 9 on the tworails oppose each other when said rails are brought together and areadapted to receive the locking keys 3. These keys are in the form ofmetal plates of substantially rectangular form and preferably slightlywedge-shaped to permit them to be easily driven into the alined recessesor seats 8, 9. The lower and smaller ends of the keys 3 are bifurcatedto form locking fingers 10 which straddle the web portions of the railsand project below the head portions of the same, as shown in Fig. 2, sothat they may be bent to lock the keys in position. Said recesses 8, 9extend from the upper surface of the head portions of the rails to theweb portions of the same at which points said recesses are bifurcated ordivided to provide the branch passages or channels 1 1 in said headportions of the rails for the reception of the fingers 10 of the keys.The projecting lower ends of said fingers are bent in oppositedirections, as shown in Fig. 1, to effectively lock the keys in positionand prevent all possibility of theni working loose. The keys 3 arecomparatively broad and extend into both of the recesses 8 and therecesses 9 or, in other words, overlap portions of both rails so as toprevent lateral shifting movement of one rail with respect to the other.Lateral movement of one rail with respect to the other is also preventedand the rails are secured to the cross ties by means of the joint orchair plate 4, which latter is a rectangular plate arranged beneathbothrails at the oint and having at its longitudinal edges undercutflanges 12 which receivethe base flanges of the rails. In saidlongitudinal edges of the chair or joint plate 4 are formed notches 13for the reception of spikes which secure said plate to the usual crossties.

From the foregoing it will be seen that the invention provides anexceedingly simple and effective joint between the meeting ends of twotrack rails and one which entirely dispenses with the necessity ofbolts, nuts and similar fastenings which have a tendency to work looseunder the jar and vibration to which the rails are subjected by passingtrains. The interlocking connection between the overlapping ends of therails and the arrangement of the keys 3 and the use of the joint plate 4causes the ends of the rails to be held in perfect alinelnent andrenders it im ossible for them to spread laterally, shift ongitudinally,or move vertically with respect to each other. When the keys 3 are inposition and their ends or fingers 10 are bent under the heads of therails it will be impossible for them to work loose and, consequently,for the rails to separate. The peculiar construction of the severalparts not only permits the rails to be quickly and easily united butalso as readily disconnected.

. When it is desired to separate the rails the chair plate 4 is shiftedlongitudinally on one of the rails and away from the joint, the fingers10 of the keys are then bent to vertical positions and the keys drivenupwardly out of the recesses 8, 9. When this is done the rails 1, 2 maybe moved laterally or away from each other in a horizontal plane. Whenit is desired to assemble and unite them this operation is reversed.

Having thus described the invention what is claimed is:

1. In a rail joint, the combination of the meeting ends of two railsrecessed to interlock, and locking keys inserted vertically in the headportions of the rails to straddle the web portions thereof and havingtheir ends bent to retain them in position.

2. In a rail joint, the combination of the meeting ends of two railsrecessed to interlock, locking keys inserted vertically in the headportions of the rails to straddle the Web portions thereof and havingtheir extremities bent to retain them in position, and a chair or jointplate arranged beneath the of the rails being undisturbed and adapted tofit into similar shaped recesses formed in said heads of the railssuitable distances from their extremities, said heads of the rail beingformed at the extremities of the latter and also at the inner ends ofthe cut away portions with vertical recesses, the latter being adaptedto oppose each other when the two rails are placed in interlockingposition, and keys inserted in the last mentioned alining recesses andhaving portions straddling the webs of the rails and extending below theheads of the same and adapted to be bent.

4. In a rail joint, the combination of the meeting ends of two railsrecessed to interlock and a locking key inserted vertically in the headportions of the rails to straddle the web portions thereof.

5. In a rail joint, the combination of two rails having the headportions of their opposing ends recessed, and a locking key insertedvertically in the recesses of the head portions of the rails and havingspaced arms or ends to straddle the Web portions of said rails.

In testimony whereof I hereunto affix my signature in the presence oftwo Witnesses.

. GEORGE M. ELLIS.

Witnesses:

FRED L. SMITH, U. R. CHERRY.

